WPP's public relations underperformance continues into Q1 2013

WPP chief executive: Sir Martin Sorrell
PR, which was down 4.1 per cent year on year on a like-for-like basis, was the only one of the group’s four business strands not to contribute to the group’s overall 5.9 per cent revenue growth to £2.5bn.

Advertising and media investment management climbed six per cent, consumer insight 3.2 per cent and branding, healthcare and specialist communications 10.6 per cent.

WPP commented that the PR market had been particularly difficult in North America, Western Europe and Asia Pacific, but the UK and Latin America had been stronger.